McLaren: Home win would be special

With the outfit hoping that a major upgrade to its car can help it take the fight to favourites Red Bull Racing on the high speed Silverstone circuit, Whitmarsh says he is excited by the prospects for next weekend's event.

"In the past three races, we've scored 119 points from a possible maximum of 129 - an incredible statistic that tells you a lot about our hunger to fight at the front," he said.

"Our home race at Silverstone has a special significance for all of us, and it would make the whole team tremendously proud if either Jenson or Lewis were able to stand atop the podium on Sunday afternoon. Such a result would be the highlight of our season so far.

"As we stand at the halfway mark in the season, I'm incredibly pleased with the way the team is currently operating. There's a real grit and determination at work: you can feel it when you walk in the garage. We've created our own internal momentum, and it's extremely rewarding to see how everyone is pulling together for the greater good.

"It's the way great teams work, and I've rarely seen the team as single-minded - from factory floor to racetrack - as it is right now."

Hamilton has echoed Whitmarsh's views that McLaren is highly motivated by the situation it has found itself in this season - with an intensely tight fight with Red Bull Racing.

"After spending most of 2009 out of the hunt, I can tell that everybody is really fired up, particularly for this weekend, where we'll be performing in front of a home crowd, and all our friends and families," he said. "It would be amazing to score another great result at our home race.

"To be leading the world championship going into my home race is a fantastic feeling - I know very well the effect of people-power around here - in 2007, when I got pole position, I vividly remember driving around on my slowing-down lap and I could hear the noise of the crowd over the engine. And in 2008, in those terrible, wet conditions, nobody lost heart or faith, and they kept waving their flags and banners for me on every single lap.

"When you see that kind of dedication, you know you've got to repay it. And that's why I go to Silverstone absolutely determined to get a great result; to make 100,000 people proud of our team and our country."

Button added: "Even though I came to Silverstone last year as the championship leader, I still haven't won this race. I'm second this year, and I can think of nothing better than being able to take a win in front of my home crowd - that would be amazing."